Serena Jones has a passion for recovering lost and stolen art--one that's surpassed only by her zeal to uncover the truth about who murdered her grandfather. She's joined the FBI Art Crime Team with the secret hope that one of her cases will lead to his killer. Now, despite her mother's pleas to do something safer--like get married--Serena's determined to catch thieves and black market traders.

When a local museum discovers an irreplaceable Monet missing, Serena leaps into action--and a whole heap of trouble.

My first introduction to Sandra Orchard's writing was her Port Aster Secrets series. It is considered romantic suspense and I really liked all three of the books. A Fool and His Monet is the first in a new series and a new genre. It is considered a mystery but I would further classify it as a cozy mystery.

While I preferred the writing in the romantic suspense books this wasn't bad. There were some very clever interactions and situations and I enjoyed the characters. I think any of my hesitancy with this book is purely a matter of preference on my part. I felt like at times it wasn't always clear whether this was a serious mystery or more of a lighthearted one. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series and discovering if it settles into a more expected pattern.

A Fool and His Monet would be the perfect book for a day at the beach or the pool. It would also work well as a lighter selection for your book club. The story isn't terribly complex so it leaves you with a feeling of refreshment rather than heaviness. I consider this type of book as a palette cleanser. It's a nice change of pace when you've been reading heavier subject matter.